Hawksbill Summit Trail

Hawksbill Summit Trail is a 1.5 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Syria, Virginia that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

DISTANCE

1.5 miles

ELEVATION GAIN

672 feet

ROUTE TYPE

Out & Back

dogs on leash

kid friendly

birding

hiking

nature trips

trail running

walking

forest

views

wildlife

Tallest peak in Shenandoah, nothing to see until summit, then 360 degree view.
This trail is steep for nearly the entire hike. You are well inside the tree line for the entire hike, so there is not much to see. Once you reach the byrd shelter the views abound, and just another 100 feet or so, you reach the summit overlook, a beautiful 360 degree view. The NPS has a stone overlook built on the summit, so it's easy to know when you have gotten there.
It's a tough walk but worth it. Within an hour you can bag the tallest peak in Shenandoah!
There is an alternate version of this hike that is a loop. The hike described in this report is an out an back route.

Hawksbill is a great mountain and over 4K. The shelter and overlook in the summit are really great. The summit trail is great and accessible to all. You can also approach this trail from the eastern valley such as white oak canyon or cedar run for a real challenge.

Steep at some points but love the shade cover all the way until the summit. It’s a strenuous hike for those who are not avid hikers but I found it relaxing. Go early to avoid crowds. There’s a picnic table at the top and two great lookout spots. Hard to get a completely clear look with the low sitting clouds but I highly recommend!

It’s a steep trail but totally worth it. The entrance is all covered with trees up almost half way and then once you reach the hawksbill summit, it was so relaxing to just sit on the boulders and enjoy the breeze. Due to low clouds and fog we were not able to see the scenic view but we still enjoyed it. Remember to take water bottle because you will need it.

Rewarding and intense quick hike. Awesome views anytime of the day. Have seen both the sunrise (in October) & the sunset (in April) here - both experiences invigorating. Would absolutely do it again and again.

Daniel Andorsky: this summit will probably have a decent number of people there if the weather is nice. It's a fairly easy trail with a great view, which will probably equal a number of families, and hikers looking for a good lunch spot. It is however a GREAT hike to watch the sunset. Get there a little early stake out a space to watch it, and hit your knee as the sunset gets going. Neither one of you will care who is around, and it's not a proposal she'll forget. I will also be at the park that weekend. I'll be thinking of you ☺️

How crowded does the summit get? I am looking to go on October 22nd (Sunday) in the early afternoon to propose to my fiance. I just don't want it to be too crowded. Is there are more secluded area with the views? Any help is appreciated!

So crowded. The hike is straight up and short. If you're coming from DC, it's a 3 hour drive for a half hour hike. Once you get to the top it's as crowded as a mall food court. It was loud and not peaceful at all.

worth all the incline. started at big meadows and took the AT to salamander trail up to the summit and back for a total of 10 miles. Took about 5 hours with water breaks and stumbled across 3 bears on the way back.

Great short hike with awesome views. It's a pretty straight uphill incline the entire way with little to no switchbacks so that can be challenging. We did it in probably about an hour, stopping for breaks.

Awesome views for not a lot of effort. We headed right at the trailhead and went around the loop the long way. Though it's longer, the steepness of the trail (in our opinion) makes it a lot easier to do. On the way back from the summit, however, is a different story (filled with aching knees and ankles). The summit itself was gorgeous, and the views were impeccable. There is another off-shoot summit that you can visit as well that might not be as populated (the views were actually better there, imo).